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(No Model.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 1.' J. SHOREY.

, SLEEPING GAR.

Patented Jan. 29, 1884.

MM s (No Model.)

. V 4 Sheets-Sh-et 2. J. SHOREY.

SLEEPING bA-R.

Patented Jan; 29, 1884.

' u. PETERS. Phmum m Washington. ac

4 Sheets Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

JLSHOREY.

SLEEPING UAR.

No. 292,595." Patented Jan. 29,1884.

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Parana Pholo-l llwgnpher, Wnhinglrm n. a

\4 SheetsSheet 4,

(No Model.)

q. SHOREY, SLEEPING GAR.

Patented Jan 2 9, 1884.

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- I ED STATE-8 1 PATENT JOHN SHOREY, on LOWELL, Assienoa or awe-ramps ro rnmnas I MERRIHEW, or rhianavnn, nassaonnsnrrs.

sLEfiPlNe oaa- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 292,595, dated January 29, 18%;. h

Application filed May 17, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom It may concern:

Be it known that I, JonN SnoRnY, of Lowell, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invent-ed certain Improvements in Sleeping and Parlor Cars, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object to provide a car adapted for use either as a sleeping or as a parlor car, the beds or couches for sleeping purposes being suspended from the top of the car, and capable of being lowered for sleeping purposes, and raised, so as to leave the entire floor-area of the car and a sufficiently high space above the same unobstructed for ordinaryuse. 1

The invention consist s'in certain details of construction and combination of parts, all of which I 'will now proceed to describe and claim.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a longitudinal vertical section of a portion of a passenger-car, taken on the plane of line so x,'Fig. 2. Fig. 2 represents atransverse vertical section of the car on the plane of liney y, Fig. l. Fig. 3 representsa longitudinal vertical section of a portion of a car, showing the berths in section, and certain berth-operating mechanism differing from that shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4 represents a section on line 2 2, Fig. 3. Fig. 5 represents a detail view.

In the drawings, a represents a railway passenger-car of the ordinary or any suitable construction, but having no furniture attached to its floor, the latter being substantially un- V obstructed by any fixed objects. From the roof or top of the car I suspend by suitable flexible supports, hereinafter more fully described, a series .of horizontal platforms, 1),,

each being of sufficient size to support two' berths or beds, 0 c, and leave passage-ways c e, of suitable width to enable persons to pass between its sides and the sides of the car. The said flexible supports are,'in the construction shownin Figs. 1 and 2, flexible curtains or partitions f, attached to rollers g, journaled in bearings on the platforms b, and connected at their outer ends by cords, chains, or other flexible devices, f,with hooks'or supports attached to the top of the car. The rollers 51 ar p v d w t pr g Ope at ng 0 t principle of ordinary curtain-roller springs, and of suf cie b p w r t0 d. up he fi rible curtains or partitions, and-thus raise the platforms from the bottom to the top of the car, and hold said partitions in the lastrdescribed positiomas shown at the right-hand end of Fig. 1. Each platform I) has four of said curtains or partitions, one at each of its four sides, and a fifth curtain located between the berths c c. Said curtains, therefore, wheu the platform I) is lowered, .forn walls around the berths and separate each berth from the other. The under surface of the platform I) is finished in any suitable ornamental manner, so that when raised to the top of the car it will constitute an ornamental substitute for the usual ceiling. each supported by four cords or chains, z, passing through the four corners of said ths nd att ch pe ely, to t e Pla form b and to hooks or supports at the top of the car. The berths c c are adapted to slide on the cords z, and when lowered in position for use rest on collars j j or other suitable stops aff xed to said cords i at a suitable height above the lower berths, c c. When the plat form I) is raised, the lower berths, in rising, come in contact with the upper berths, and raise the latter, all the berths rising together to the top of the car.

' From the foregoing it willbe seen that when the ear is to be adapted for sleeping purposes the platforms 1) are drawn downwardly to the fl o f t s h r y ering a t be ths and unwinding the curtains f, so that when the berths are in position for use each berth is inclos ed on four sides, and a desirable (1e gree .of privacy is insured to the occupant.

c 0 represent upperberths,

The upper berths, c, are lowered with the:

platform b and lower berths until the suspending cords or chains 1' are straightened out from the top of'the car to the collars or stops j j, said upper berths being then arrested, while the lower berths descend to a lower level. It will be seen that the compartments formed by the curtains f serve both for the lower and the upper berths. The eurtainsf at the outer sides of the berth have openings f (see Fig. 1,)

for ingress and egress of the occupants, and said openings are provided with suitable curtains adapted to slide on horizontal rods attached to the curtains f. Suitable fastening devices should be employed to connect the curtains f together at their vertical edges, to prevent them from being separated at the corners of the compartments formed by said curtains. The platforms 1), when lowered, are made fast to the floor or other fixed portion of the car by any suitable means, to prevent the spring-rollers g from raising the platforms. \Vhen the berths are to be removed and the car adapted for day use, the platforms 1) are released, and are immediately lifted, with the berths c and c, to the top of the car by the action of the spring-rollers in rolling up the curtains f. The main portion of the car is this left unobstructed, the platforms 7) being raised to the higher central portion or monitor-top of the ear high enough to be beyond the reach of the head of the tallest passenger. The car may then be provided with portable chairs or seats for day use.

The curtains f may be made of any suitably strong and flexible material, such as stout canvas.

I have not shown the springs which operate the rollers r as the same'may be of any wellknown constructionfor example, like those applied to curtain rollersbut of strength proportioned to the weight they are required to lift. Instead of raising the platforms 1) by the power of the spring-rollers g, I may provide other means, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 viz., a series of transverse arbors, 7; 7:, two for each platform, journaled in bearings at the top of the car, four chains or cords, ll, for each platform, secured to drums on said arbors and to the platform Z), and mechanism whereby an attendant can rotate said arbors, and thereby raise and lower one platform or the entire series of platforms. Said mechanism consists in a series of sprocket-wheels, Zone on each arbor kan endless sprocket-chain, m, engaging the said wheels and passing around a wheel, 02, located where it can be conveniently reached by the operator, and provided with a suitable operating-crank, whereby the operator can rotate the wheel a, and thus impel the chain, rotate all the arbors 7;, and raise or lower all the platforms 6. The arbors k are provided with ratchets 0, which are engaged by pawls 1), pivoted to the body of the ear, and holding said ratchets from rotating backwardly.

In case it is not desirable to operate all the platforms 6, the sprocket-wheels Z on the arbors 7c, pertaining to the platform or platforms which are to remain motionless, are disengaged from operative connection with the said arbors by the withdrawal from each of said wheels of the sliding memberr of aeluteh, whereof the other member, 1 is on the sprocketwheel Z. (See Fig. 4.) The sliding member 1' is connected to the arbor by a feat-her,

so that it rotates with the arbor, but is free to slide lengthwise thereof. The sprocket-wheel is adapted to rotate loosely on the arbor. The withdrawal of the sliding member ris effected by a cord, M, which extends from said member to a point within reach of the operator.

The ratchets 0 and pawls p retain the platforms I; at any height to which they may be raised. \Vhen said platforms are to be lowered, a horizontal rod, 2, having a series of inclines, o, one for each pawl p, is moved to bring said inclines against pins 1), projecting laterally from the pawls p, and thus raise said pawls and release the ratchets and arbors, so that the platforms b can be lowered. \Vhen the last-described means for operating the platforms are employed in lieu of the springs of the rollers g, the curtains f will be secured to the top of the car, as in the arrangement first described, and the rollers y will be provided with springs ofsufficient strength only to wind the curtains upon the rolls 9.

I do not limit myself to either of the described means for operating the berth-platforms, but consider that a vertically-movable suspended platform or platforms supporting berths and provided with any suitable means for vertical adjustment will be no departure from the spirit of myinvcntion. It is obvious that a similar arrangement of berths may be applied to an apartment in a ship or steamer or in a fixed building. If it is desired to use a lower berth only, the upper berth may be raised on its cords i i and secured at any desired-height by any suitable means. The up perberths, c, are steadied,when in position for use, bybraccs A A, pivoted to the platform I), and detachably connected to the ends of the berths c, said braces extending diagonally in opposite directions, as shown in Fig. 2.

I claim 1. The combination, with the berth-supporting platform 0, of the curtains f, secured -to spring-rollers journaled in bearings attached to said platform, and secured to the top of the car, one curtain of each berth being provided with an opening, f as set forth.

2. The combination of the suspended platform I), having berths c c, the upper berths, c a, supported by flexible devices 1' over the berths c, and braces or steadying devices for detachably connecting said upper berths to said platform, as set forth.

3. In a car, the vertically-movable berthsupporting platform having rollers secured therein, in combination with curtains secured to said rolls and to the top of the car, and

adapted to wind upon the rollers, said ourtains forming partitions and supports for the lower platform, as set forth.

:L. The berth-supporting platform having four spring-rollers arranged at the sides, as shown, in combination with the four curtains secured to the top of the car and to the rolls, and arranged, as described, to be wound on the rolls, so as to form partitions and supports, as shown. 5. The combination, in a car, of the lowerberth platform, having spring-rolls at each side, as set forth, the curtains secured at one end to the rolls and at the other to the top of the car, ,so as to form partitions and supports for the platform, and the upper berths" supported by independent flexible cords ex- IO tending to the top of the car, directly over the lower berth, so as to be lifted thereby, a1

substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof Ihztve signed my name to this specification,in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 14th day of Mty,,1883. I 5

JOHN SHOREY.

\Vitnesses:

' P. E. MERRIHEW,

O. F. BROWN. 

